Millennium Force @ Cedar Point | Coaster Reviews

A great example of bigger not always being better.I had a short 20 minute or so wait on a rainy, dreary day in May. I was looking forward to my trip to the ‘Coaster Capital’ (Cedar Point) for a number of reasons, including riding my 100th new coaster. As I arrived at Cedar Point I was drawn to Millennium Force like a magnet. It was to be number 100. The ultra-steep lift hill was very intimidating even for a seasoned vet like me. Luckily, I was able to draw on the courage of the pre-teens I rode with. The quiet, speedy lift doesn’t help to settle your nerves as you quickly rise high into the air and feel like your basically over Lake Erie. And then, the BEST and most intense drop I’ve ever experienced. I fought the urge to pull my hands down and hold on as we plummeted down the longest drop of my life. I figured that if the kid half my age could keep his hands up so could I.

Finally, we reached the bottom, and we were being pelted with a light rain at 90+ miles per hour. Next, we’re thrown into the huge over-banked turn. It reminded me of the Superman: Ride of Steel (@ Six Flags New England) only much larger. After the over-bank MF let me down. The rest of the ride was very fast and relatively smooth, but not all that thrilling. And for me, the hills offered NO airtime. None. Well, the small hill right next to the station offered a little lift, but nothing to write home about. Where Superman: Ride of Steel (again I’m referring to the SFNE version) offers a thrilling opening and a near flawless middle and finale, Millennium Force doesn’t do much with it’s layout. It didn’t bore me by any means, but it definitely didn’t wow me either.

Also, the theming was lackluster and almost non-existent. But how do you theme something called Millennium Force? I guess Cedar Point needed a name that meant: big, high tech, and opening at the start of the new millennium. Never mind the fact that the real start of the millennium was 2001. I admit that I may be a bit too critical of coaster names.

Millennium Force offers an exhilarating ride, but by no means is it a classic. For one of those see that shorter, slower, older red coaster on the other side of the isle. This is a great coaster, but I think it gets more credit than it deserves. The points here are for the unique lift, breath-taking drop, smoothness, setting, and the speed which is unparalleled for a coaster of this length. Final Rating – 9.0 (Excellent)